Sensing device

• US 7,681,434 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ouchi, Toshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, ROSE MARY
• Application Number:
  US11/632,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20080314152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/31.06
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/276 with alternation of sample and standard in optical path
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3577 for analysing liquids, e.g. polluted water
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3581 using far infrared light; using Terahertz radiation

Abstract

The present invention provides a sensing device for obtaining information of a test sample using an electromagnetic wave including a frequency region within a frequency region of 30 GHz to 30 THz, the sensing device comprising an electromagnetic wave transmitting portion including a plurality of transmission portions (4a, 4b) for propagating electromagnetic waves and detection portions (3a, 3c) for receiving and detecting the electromagnetic waves from the plurality of transmission portions (4a, 4b), in which at least one of the plurality of transmission portions (4a, 4b) is constructed such that the test sample (5, 6) can be placed in a portion affected by an electromagnetic wave propagating therethrough.

Claims

1. A sensing device which uses an electromagnetic wave having a frequency in a frequency region of 30 GHz or more and 30 THz or less, comprising:

a dielectric substrate;

a generation portion provided on the dielectric substrate for generating the electromagnetic wave;

a first propagating portion provided on the dielectric substrate, wherein the first propagating portion is in contact with the generation portion for propagating the electromagnetic wave generated at the generation portion in a first direction;

a second propagating portion provided on the dielectric substrate, wherein the second propagating portion is in contact with the generation portion for propagating the electromagnetic wave generated at the generation portion in a second direction different from the first direction;

a first detection portion provided on the dielectric substrate for detecting the electromagnetic wave propagated through the first propagating portion; and

a second detection portion provided on the dielectric substrate for detecting the electromagnetic wave propagated through the second propagating portion.

2. A sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second propagating portions are placed to sandwich the generation portion along a straight line passing through the generation portion.

3. A sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second propagating portions are electrodes for applying voltage to the generation portion.

4. A sensing device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second propagating portions is a metallic line, and the electromagnetic wave generated at the generation portion propagates along the metallic lines.

5. A sensing device according to claim 4, further comprising a metal conductive layer provided on a surface of the dielectric substrate opposite to a surface of the dielectric substrate on which the metallic lines are provided.

6. A sensing device according to claim 1, further comprising a differential unit for calculating a difference in intensity between the electromagnetic waves detected at the first and second detection portions respectively.

7. A sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the generation portion, the first detection portion and the second detection portion include photoconductive films.